


All That Matters

by Aceofstars16



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 03:47:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12696684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aceofstars16/pseuds/Aceofstars16
Summary: Taking place during season one and sometime during season three or four, this fic focuses on Hera comforting Ezra after nightmares, and how that changes as time goes on.





	All That Matters

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr post](http://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/167259550018/all-that-matters)

It was cold, and it was dark. Screams sounded in the night. Ezra knew those screams – his parents, from the last time he had ever seen them. They were in danger and he had to get to them, he had to save them. But he couldn’t move. He screamed for them, tried to move his feet, but it was all in vain. Then came the gunshots, and silence.

“No!”

Jolting awake, Ezra buried his head in his hands, trying to ease the tightness in his chest. Nightmares weren’t anything new, but that didn’t make them any less traumatizing. Breathe, breathe. Ezra told himself over and over again. As he did so, his head cleared -if only a little. That’s when he heard something strange.

Was it…snoring? Zeb. Right. He wasn’t on the streets anymore. He had a…home? No, not a home, not yet. But it was a safe place, or at least safer than some of the alleys he had spent the night in.

Taking a deep breath, Ezra glanced at his hands, which were shaking. In the past, nightmares resulted in him partaking in the nightlife of Lothal, nabbing something from an unsuspecting worker. It was a good way to calm his nerves and get his mind off of the memories, and the…other things he saw. But now he couldn’t do that.

The reality of the situation weighed down on him, and Ezra felt as if the walls were closing in, he had to get out of here. He had to move.

Carefully climbing down from his bunk, Ezra slipped out of the room. The claustrophobia eased, but his nerves were still shot. His parent’s screams filled his head as he made his way through the ship, trying to find the cargo bay or any place where he could get out and try to clear his head. Unfortunately, he didn’t know the ship that well and his sense of direction seemed to be compromised due to his shocked state.

“Ezra?”

Spinning around, Ezra came face to face with Hera, worry lining her gaze.

Opening his mouth, Ezra tried to speak, but his brain seemed to be short circuiting. This isn’t what he needed right now. He didn’t need people here. He couldn’t act like everything was okay, not now. He had to get rid of her, but…how?

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

Hera spoke again, and Ezra didn’t realize he had taken a step back from her in his distraught state. And then she did something Ezra would’ve never expected, she took a careful step forward. Then she hugged him. Arms wrapped around him, strong and sure. Touch. It was such a foreign concept. No one wanted to touch a street rat, and when after nightmares he never wanted anyone to touch him. But there was something comforting about the warmth, the closeness. Hera’s quiet voice assuring him he was safe, he was okay.

As a sob shook Ezra’s body, he became aware of the tears streaming down him face. It was embarrassing beyond compare and yet somehow, that didn’t matter. Someone cared. He wasn’t alone anymore. Burying his face in Hera’s shirt, Ezra closed his eyes and let her words wash over the nightmares, the pain, the fear. Things might never be better, but for now, he was safe.

———-

Ezra hadn’t come to Hera with nightmares in a long time. There were nights when Hera missed it. Sure, it took time away from work, but what did that matter? If she could help Ezra, it was worth it. But as each day passed, he didn’t come. Hera felt as if she was losing him, and she didn’t know how to fix it. She checked in on him throughout the day, but he would just smile and say he was okay. It might’ve been easier if Sabine still came to her, but the only things she seemed to ask Hera about now were missions. Hera told herself it was because Sabine had reunited with her real family, and she was happy for her. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.

It was another long night. Hera couldn’t hold back a small yawn as she made her way back to the Ghost after an emergency briefing. Or so they had thought, it ended up being a simple fix, but Hera had been on call so she came, it wasn’t like she had been sleeping. But as she neared the ship, she noticed two figures sitting beside it.

Narrowing her eyes, Hera made her way closer, only to stop as they spoke.

“What if they aren’t just dreams? What if they are real?” Ezra’s voice was quiet, but scared. Hera recognized the tone, Ezra only talked like that after a nightmare.

Sabine let out a tired sigh, the kind of sigh that meant she was dealing with her own troubles but she didn’t want to show it.

They were both so tired and scared and unsure. It broke Hera’s heart. Maybe she just hadn’t been there when they needed her. They still needed help. 

“Can I join you?”

Ezra and Sabine quickly looked up as Hera walked up to them. Ezra’s gaze was unfocused, but Sabine glanced at Ezra before making room for Hera.

Sitting down, Hera placed one hand gently on Ezra’s shoulder. He looked at her, worry filling his gaze as he opened his mouth, only to close it. 

“Dwelling on what might happen never helps anyone. Sometimes dreams are just dreams.” Hera reached up and brushed some of Ezra’s unruly hair to the side. “We don’t know the future, but right now, you’re okay.”

The smallest hint of a smile grew on Ezra’s mouth as she used the same words she had used all those years ago, when she had first comforted him from his nightmares. Hera wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. He was ridged for a moment, then his arms wrapped around her and he buried his face in her chest. Looking at Sabine, Hera held out her other arm. A smile appeared on Sabine’s face as she scooted closed and rested her head on Hera’s shoulder, her smile growing a little as Hera held her close as well.

It was far from a perfect night. There was a humidity in the air, strange creatures made noises in the distance. But for Hera, it was everything. The doubts she had about falling away from Ezra and Sabine were gone. They were still the same kids they had been all those years ago. Sure, they had grown and changed, but they were still her kids – maybe not in blood, but in bond. And nothing would ever change that.


End file.
